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He's freaking out as much as I am.
Another sharp pain radiates through my lower back. Shit. How did I not know these were labor pains? I may not have made it this far in my pregnancy last time, but I'm a smart woman. I know my own body. I should have known the difference between a back spasm and a labor pain.
"Let's have a baby," he says as he helps me down the stairs.
"I'm not ready for this," I whisper through gritted teeth.
Why am I having another one already? It feels like only a few minutes have passed since the last one.
"You can do this, Addison," my mother voice sings from behind me.
Shit. She's going to miss her plane. With the baby feeling like she's going to make her arrival at any moment, I may never get my mother to leave.
That's when I see Liam.
God.
As hard as this is on me, seeing me pregnant must be even harder on him. This was going to be us at one point. It may not have been planned, or ideal at the time, but this was supposed to be us. I'm getting my second chance, and he's watching it all happen.
As we pass him, Liam nods and forces a smile in my direction.
Even with all the time that's passed, I know that look. The nod is his way of saying good luck. The forced smile, the same smile he doesn't realize is clearly fake, is his way of showing me his support.
He's hurting. I can't do anything about it, and if he wants to place the blame, he should look to my mother. If she hadn't—
"Fuuuuuuuck!"
Stopping just outside the front door, I grip the frame for support as an intense contraction takes over my body. Adam's on my other side, holding me up and telling me to breathe. Waiting for it to subside is pointless. Another one is going to come any minute.
"Hospital. Now," I demand as soon as I can find my voice.
"Well,I didn't plan to see you today, Addison. They tell me you're in labor."
For as much as I love my doctor, he attempts to make everything sound casual. Like having a baby is just an ordinary day.
In labor? No big deal. I can help you.
Three weeks early? That’s fine.
Freaking out? Take a deep breath, it's no—
"Yes. I'm in labor, and before you start coddling me, I'd like to make it clear that I'm scared shitless right now and in a lot of pain. So, drugs first, doctor babble later. Deal?"
I didn't intend to sound like a bitch, but the fact he didn't even flinch makes me wonder how often that happens to him. Is it normal for women to freak out? I'm sure it is.
"Okay, so I'm going to need to check you to see how far along you are before we talk about an epidural."
Another contraction hits, and I lose my will to fight.
Six hours and an epidural later, he tells me to push.
It's funny. Him telling me to push. I can't feel my legs. How in the hell am I going to know if I'm pushing?
I do as I'm told over and over again. I'm getting tired, and as I lie back against the pillow, I hear the doctor call my name.
"One more time, Addison. She's almost here."
"Come on, babe, you can do this. Let's meet our little girl."
